Daniel Dubois became the WBO world heavyweight champion after stopping Fabio Wardley early in the 11th round of a brutal contest. Referee Howard Foster, whose shirt was stained crimson by blood, intervened 28 seconds into the penultimate round to rescue Wardley, whose face was a mask of blood from a badly broken nose.
Dubois was knocked down twice during the fight, first just 10 seconds after the opening bell and again in the third round. Despite early criticism of his heart, Dubois rose with resolve and fought back, showcasing superior technique behind a thunderous jab as he wore down the champion.
Wardley, 31, from Ipswich, suffered the first loss of his career but showed immense courage, absorbing punishment round after round without going down. His nose poured blood from the fifth round, and he was examined twice by the ringside doctor before the stoppage.
Dubois arrived late to the venue due to Manchester traffic, a contrast to his previous delay before losing to Oleksandr Usyk. He walked to the ring focused and intimidating, while Wardley, in a blue robe honouring Ipswich Town, received a raucous reception before the bout began.
